Had never seen dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) until I picked up an example at Shell Bay near Elie on Christmas Day. However, early in the New Year found the three examples above on the beach at Lundin Links. Some of them looked spookily like small hands.
Today walking along the shore at Lower Largo, I found more examples every few yards along the beach. Most were attached to a stone or shell, which presumably had been dislodged during the winter storms.
This example was attached to a queen scallop shell. (The scalop shell measured 3 inches at the widest part.)
Also found some that were brick-red in colour. Not sure whether this is a different species (possibly red sea fingers - Alcyonium glomeratum) or just a colour variation.
Can see that the surface looks a bit like the skin of an orange. There are tiny holes in tthe surface which house the polyps that make up the colony.
5 comments:
I've never seen anything like these on our beaches - amazing, especially the coloured ones.
Can I just say that I really enjoy your blog and have been a regular visitor for a while - I love Largo Bay too, but don't live so locally, so it's great to see what you've found on your walks.
Many thanks for your comment. Before last Christmas Day I had never seen them either, even though I regularly walk on the beach. Now suddenly they are everywhere.
I have been following and enjoying your blog also. I love your wild flower posts.
Thank you very much for your reply - I had no idea anyone ever looked at my blog except for me!
Thank you blogger...I picked one of these up once at Shellbay and immediately threw it away as if anything it felt like dead man's fingers...Thanks for letting me know what it is.
Alan McGillveray.
Thank you very much for your comment.
The first one that I found was at Shell Bay on Christmas Day.
Post a Comment